tonight. >> reporter: doreen, this entire community is in shock. filled with a sense of sadness and loss. for more than 24 hours, as police kept going in and out of the house on point rider lane in herndon, neighbors wanted anxiously to hear news of how the four people in the home died. police now believe 57-year-old albert peterson shot his wife, kathy, his sons matthew, 15, and christopher, 13, before turning the gun on himself. some neighbors placed flowers near the home. >> i didn't believe it. i was like, are you kidding? and they're like, no, up there at the petersons' house. i said, it's not the petersons', right? they said, no, it's the petersons'. i'm like, really? they were the nicest people. >> reporter: the family had lived in the house for 28 years. they were the original homeowners. >> these guys are nice people. you know, they were always sitting out there, always waving to everybody, always having a good time, grilling. i didn't really talk to them much, but every time i walked up there, they were saying, how are you doing, how is your day going. >> reporter: at westfield